The invention of this application relates to a cable dispensing system and, more particularly, to a cable dispensing system that can be used to dispense cable from a purchased spool of cable that does not have a central core and do so without low resistance and without kinking. Dispensers of wire and cable have been used for many years and some of these systems have been successful for certain applications. But, there are no systems that can effectively control the unwinding of a spool of cable that when the spool is not wound around a central core. In this respect, some cables, such as MC Cable, are sold in spools that have no central core. Instead, the wire or cable is merely wound about itself by wrapping the cable about a central axis such that the wound cable generally forms an annular mass of cable. The spool of cable is then secured by binding the annular mass with straps to prevent it from unwinding. While this is a low cost method of selling cable, this kind of cable is difficult to handle and to unwind without tangles. This is especially true since the wire spool tends to spring outwardly from the cable axis when the straps are removed.
Some prior art systems have attempted to control the unwinding of these kinds of cable spools, but these systems have been found to be commercially and functionally ineffective. In general, these systems utilize a central rotational axil to support a spool of cable. However, these spools do not include a central core wherein central axil type systems have been found to be ineffective.
To show the need and advantages of the present invention, a prior system that incorporates a central axil noted above, will be hereinafter explained in detail. This disclosure merely constitutes background material. The prior system is the Wire Tub by RACK-A-TIERS®. The Wire tub utilizes a rotating base plate positioned within a tub and which is joined relative to the tub by a central axil. The base plate further includes a central “hub” that rotate together about the central axil, a bolt, that is configured to control the rotation of the base plate. The system further includes one or more spacer washers positioned between the base plate and the tub bottom that space the base plate from the tub bottom and allow the base plate and the central hub to rotate together about the central bolt within the tub. While the system provides rotating action within the tub that can be used to unwind the cable from the spool out of a hole in the tub, it has been found that the cable can kink as it is unwound and the cable can be difficult to pull from the dispenser.
In greater detail, the Wire Tub utilizes a base plate and central hub that are supported by the spacer washers surrounding and the central bolt and the remaining portions of the rotating base plate are intended to float above the tub bottom. Thus, spacer washers provide the rotational movement and support the weight of the spool for the based plate and the central bolt maintains a desired alignment. As can be appreciated, the use of washers for the rotational support produces rotational drag for the rotation of the base plate about the bolt. Further, the center of gravity of the wire spool must be centered within the tub or the base plate can tilt relative to the central bolt and can engage the tub. Once this occurs, pulling resistance increases even more and can be significant when the base plate drags against the tub. However, the center of gravity of these kinds of spools is not defined since these spools have no central core. As a result, the center of gravity is often out of alignment with the central axis of the wire spool and this will result in the base plate tilt and base plate drag. The Wire Tub attempts to account for the base tilt by utilizing multiple washers between the base plate and the tub base to increase the spacing therebetween. However, if the center of gravity is spaced far enough from the central washers, base plate tilt and drag will occur. In view of the weight of these spools (can be over 20 pounds), the amount of misalignment of the center of gravity does not need to be significant to cause base plate drag. Further, the center of gravity of the spool will shift as the wire is unwound from the spool since there is no central core and since these kinds of cables spring outwardly when the cable straps are removed. As is known in the art, this outward springing is not uniform, which can worsen this shifting center of gravity and the base plate tilt/drag.
The Wire Tub also attempts to overcome the shifting center of gravity of the spool by utilizing a central structure that is referred to as a “hub.” The hub is configured to engage the inner annular surface of the wire spool in an attempt to mimic a central spool core. This central hub is therefore fixed relative to the rotating base plate so that the “hub” rotates with the spool of wire and can frictionally engage the inner annular surface of the wire spool. Further, the central hub must be adjustable so that the hub can engage the inner annular surface of a wide range of spools and spool sizes in an attempt to simulate a wire spool that is wrapped about a central spool core (like a spool of thread). This adjustment feature comes in the form of three adjustable hub slats that are sheet like and extend radially from the central axis to effectively change the overall diameter of the hub so that the hub can positively engage the inner annular surface of wire spool having different inner diameters. However, the use of the central hub to control the center of gravity has been found to cause kinking in the cable as it is unwound from the spool by not allowing free floating movement of the cable within the tub. Therefore, there is a need in the industry for a spool dispenser that (a) can work with cables, such as MC Cables, that are not wound about a central core and (b) is commercially and functionally effective. The invention of this application has satisfied this need.